Bluemind Counselling & Consulting

11/12/2025

"A long-winded story about feeling like nothing matters and finding glimmers."

A couple weeks ago marked the middle point of a very busy few weeks, the most full few weeks I've had since having major health issues and subsequent chronic illness a couple years ago. None of it was difficult, but it required a lot of balls to juggle. I was proud of my increased capacity but could feel the edges unraveling a bit. So, instead of taking the car for an errand up the street, I decided to take " a stupid walk for my stupid mental health" to get some peace and quiet. It was only about 10 minutes, I did not want to overexert and trigger anything, but felt the pull for some fresh air.

It was a dreary day. One of those gray fall days when the sun isn't shining, the wind has picked up, and you can feel those winter blahs starting to creep in. Not only was I feeling the start of overwhelm, I was feeling particularly heavy about the state of the world. I read an article recently about the need to be careful not to pathologize our emotions and experience when living in times like this... the weight of the world is heavy for many of us.

To be honest, this positive psychology, practice what you preach, nervous system self-care, people loving therapist, the one who is so often able to make meaning and carve out resiliency, and walk with others, striving to carry the weight of their struggles for a time, was starting to feel the weight of it all herself. I was starting to feel the weight of "everything in the world is falling apart, does any of this, the work I do, the way I am, the person I try and be, the changes I try to make, does any of it actually matter."

Because sometimes no matter how much self-care/self-work we do, education we have, or experience we hold, we're all human. Sometimes it gets heavy, it gets hard, and it only takes a busy week, or a harsh word from someone, or that one extra ball we have to juggle, to make it feel like it's all going to fall down.

But then as I was going for my little "stupid walk from my stupid mental health", noticing the bleakness of the day, I looked down and saw, fighting its way along the edge of the sidewalk, a small scraggly patch of these little blue flowers.

I have no idea what kind of flower they are (I'm sure someone will tell me in the comments). But here in the midst of the bleak in the heavy, the lack of color, was a vibrant blue.

So I stopped along the road and spent a good 3 or 4 minutes taking photos of what I'm sure is a w**d of some type. The cars that drove by I'm guessing had a good chuckle at all the strange angles I was trying for, in my flower photo shoot.

But I had found a glimmer!

I'm sure I've read it somewhere, but often I remind my clients (and myself) to look for the glimmers in their life: a moment, a split second, a fleeting flash, of something that gives them hope, or shows them beauty, or brings joy. When everything feels hard, it's easy to get lost in it. We can't see anything but the difficulty, the pain, or the sorrow. But glimmers can help send a little beacon through that darkness.

I found a little blue glimmer!

We don't know when we're going to find a glimmer. I find they pop up in the most unexpected places, like this bright blue flower on the side of a road on a cold and windy day. But when we see them, hold on to them. Pause for a second and take its picture (literally or figuratively!). It's the glimmers that help get us through.

Something else the little blue flower reminded me is that we do matter. Just showing up, imperfectly, as our scraggly selves, matters. Sometimes we're like a garden in the middle of the summer, blooming and obviously impactful, but sometimes it's the small little blue flower that shows up in unexpected places... sometimes being that little blue flower makes an even bigger impact. It's not pretending to be anything other than what it is, it's showing up imperfectly, it's just doing its best. That was, and is, enough.

Here's the takeaway, and I'll try and make it brief because we all know I'm long-winded:

1. Look for your glimmers, today and everyday.

2. Remember that you can and do make an impact. Showing up each day in the world in whatever form you can, even if you're feeling a bit scraggly, can still have a huge impact in ways you can't perceive.

It matters.

You matter.

xo,
Melody

10/17/2025

Curious about our space? Have any questions? Just want to check it out?

Next week, Friday, October 24th, we will be having an open house all day long from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.! If you'd like to pop by and say hello, have a warm drink and a cookie, we'd love to see you.

I'm so pleased to be joined by the other businesses in our The Gateway Market Inc. Complex! My Green Scissors, Eny's Alteration, and Dunfield Real Estate are also on site and will be available to say hi, answer questions, or provide resources/info to for you!

Also, I do believe that Loree Ann from Follow Your Soul - Yoga Therapy Will be on deck as well! More info to come.

See you then!

10/15/2025

I am absolutely thrilled to be partnering again with Loree at Follow Your Soul - Yoga Therapy to expand the healthcare services we can access in our rural community of Fundy Albert. Loree is a certified Yoga Therapist and is covered by most insurance plans as a member of the Academy of Naturopaths of Canada. She will be offering individual appointments out of our space in Hillsborough on a weekly basis, and we are excited to offer collaborative services for those looking for the full-on mind/body approach.

We will be sharing more details soon, but in the meantime if you have any questions don't hesitate to reach out to myself or Loree, and check out her socials as well!

10/07/2025

I've got news! After a journey, I have reopened my counselling office in a new location and am taking new clients! You can now find me at 2840 Main Street in Hillsborough, and I am now taking clients in person, online, or via phone.The office isn't fully set up, but attached is a sneak peek at how it's going.

As a licensed Counselling Therapist, I am covered by most insurance plans. Feel free to reach out using any of the contact information listed on my page if you are interested in learning more. (My website is in construction!)

I'll be sharing more news and details soon! Stay tuned.

- Melody

01/01/2025

You don't need to be a new you in the new year. The person you are is amazing. In fact, be more of you! The true you, real you, the you that has kept you here, doing the things, cause peopling is hard and you've done it! You've shown up in some way, every day, all year long. Celebrate THAT you.

I am.

Xo,
Melody

12/09/2024

This was a really big step for me... I've been nervous to share my story in public but felt the pull to use my voice because wanted to help others. It's scary because I didn't want my clients, present or future, to think I was any less than I was. But, when my friends Tosh Taylor and Jenna Morton asked if I could be part of their show, Pickle Planet Moncton , I knew this was the answer my heart was looking for. Post-concussion, and now after complications with other health struggles, and now living with chronic illness, I am here to say that it is possible to heal, to grow, and to change. Life may look different than I thought it would be, but it can still be amazing, even if it can be hard. I am proud to advocate for those who have chronic illness or disabilities.

I am also pretty proud to say I am reopening Bluemind Lifestyle Counselling & Collaborative. We are finalizing what the start of this process will look like in the coming couple weeks, but I will be taking new clients, virtually or by phone or text, in the New Year!

Thank you for your continued support dear friends. You are loved.

Xo,
Melody

Concussion awareness is on the rise, but the impact a brain injury can have on your daily life remains a mystery to most of us. Melody Land knows all too well the various ways a concussion can change your day-to-day. In this episode, she opens up about her journey so far - from a cautionary

08/15/2024

Getting some work done at the lake.

07/14/2024

It's been awhile. A long while.

I am so excited to share - we got the band back together! 😆

The pandemic may have shut down our bricks and mortar, but one thing nothing has been able to shut down has been the friendship and love I've found with these amazing humans. Loree Ann ( Follow Your Soul - Yoga Therapy ) and Tania Maillet (Inner Compass Counselling) have been absolute rocks for me over the last few years, and it's the first time the three of us have been in one space, sharing our souls and dreaming big dreams since Bluemind (the building) had to close its doors.

Nothing is set in stone but it's exciting to be brainstorming with these women again.

What I can tell you for sure is this...

My passion and dedication to helping others on their wellness journey has never stopped. My belief in the magic that happens when we support one another and work together to achieve common goals is unshaken. My dreams for the future and endless possibilities have maintained.

BUT it has been quite the ride to get back here! Over the next little bit I'll be sharing a bit of where the journey has taken me and what's coming next.

AND I'm looking forward to offering services again very soon!

But in the meantime... Let's catch up. How have you been?

💚🩵💙💜,
Melody

05/29/2021

There's a reason why parents of big kids shut down when their kids hit the teenage years.

There's a reason why moms stop talking to other parents at pick up lines and dads avoid people at all cost

You know that phrase little kids, little problems. Big kids, bigger problems? It is so true.

And if you are lucky enough to raise a teenager that never drank or smoked or did drugs, if you are lucky enough to have a child that never got arrested for a misdemeanor or snuck out or cheated on a test, if you are lucky enough never to feel like you were just a complete and utter failure as a parent because of the behavior of your kid despite your best efforts, consider it just that: lucky.

Because for most big kids who do something bad, it is usually not from bad parenting as much as the teen making a bad decision.

And we need to sit on that for a second.

Before we rush to judgment. Before we roll our eyes and start mentioning all the things we think those parents did wrong. Before we fill ourselves with righteous indignation.

We need to remember that it could be our kid, and how do we want people to treat us.

Sure, we need to be conscientious parents and raise our kids to the best of our abilities. But unless you have severely neglected, abused, or traumatized your child, we need to recognize that sometimes teenagers lose their way despite our best efforts.

Addiction can be genetic. Violence could be linked to a traumatic event not related to the parents. Stealing could be attention seeking behavior. Lying is testing boundaries.

But also, teenagers have been found to be poor decision-makers if they feel pressured, stressed or are seeking attention from peers, so while with one friend a teen may say no to alcohol, at a party with peers they want to impress, they may engage in binge drinking in a spur-of-the-moment request.

Rather than blaming the parents, we need to rally around families who need support instead of pushing them further under water.

I still believe as parents we are the number one role models for our kids. I still believe that we can arm our children with information and boundaries so they grow up into productive adults.

But I also believe that most of us are trying our best and parent with the best of intentions.

I speak from experience. Sometime good kids just make bad decisions. Sometimes good kids have addictions. Sometimes good kids are hurting and don't know how to express it. Sometimes good kids cave under pressure. Sometimes good kids want to impress their peers so they do something bad.

And oftentimes these good kids come from good parents.

There is enough guilt when it comes to parenting. Did I do too much for them? Not enough? Did I give them too much freedom? Was I too overbearing? Many parents spend the rest of their lives wondering where they went wrong when raising their kids.

So, the next time your local rumor mill starts running with the bad behavior of a child coming from a "good" family, maybe resist the urge to spread the gossip to another friend.

Instead, maybe use it as a discussion springboard with your own child.

And if you are feeling extra generous, reach out to that parent who is most likely beating themselves up for their child's behavior, the one who feels isolated, the one who is staying up all night examining every parenting decision she ever made.

They could use some support, too.